Echoes of Hogwarts: the Houses of our International School in Lausanne

Just as the houses of Hogwarts - Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff & Slytherin - brought students together and created close-knit communities within a large school, so the houses of Brillantmont foster a sense of family and belonging.

Group photo of international students Students gather for a group shot

Unlike Hogwarts, Brillantmont International School has international boarding and day school students. All students, including day students, belong to one of five houses. Each house has a distinct name – Rousseau, Einstein, Piccard, Chaplin and Anker – and is made up of students of different ages and nationalities.

Each year, students elect a Student Leader for each house. These leaders, along with their Student Advisors, go through a special leadership training to prepare them for the year's activities. They are supported by adult advisors, who are on hand to provide help and assistance.

In contrast to Hogwarts, all the Brillantmont houses are places of positive energy, warmth and friendship and the weekly house meetings foster a sense of belonging, nurture new friendships and promote team-building activities.

These activities play a key role in welcoming new students into the community. Before your child arrives at school, they are connected with others who are in the same house and get an opportunity to get to know each other prior to stepping foot on campus, making the first day that little bit less scary.

In addition to the weekly house activities, inter-house competitions take place throughout the school year. Just like in the popular Harry Potter books, houses earn points throughout the year through these competitions which count towards the end of year House Prize.

The five houses of Brillantmont thus provide a home away from home for the students and encourage long lasting friendships and house bonds that will last a lifetime.